Maybe It's Time To Worry About Barcelona?

On a day when Arsene Wenger claimed he has no concerns over the most recent rumours that Cesc is about to embark on the next step on the journey through his career at his home town club of Barcelona, unnervingly, the Spanish giants have also claimed there is no truth in the rumour.

As Fabregas came to Arsenal as a very young boy, he made no secrets that he would one day like to play in the top flight of Spanish football with his former team. His honesty has led to an annual precession of total bollocks as the leaders of Barca clamour for votes for their upcoming elections.

Some of the shenanigans that come out of Camp Nou are nothing short of disgraceful, so the following statement taken from their official website scares the living shit out of me.

'Given the exceptional repercussions created by the stories that have appeared in different media with respect to an agreement with Arsenal FC player Cesc Fabregas, FCB flatly denies that there have been any negotiations or agreements with the player.

'In accordance with FIFA regulations, FC Barcelona's contract policy has always made it a priority to negotiate with the club of origin before making any particular agreement with the player.

'FC Barcelona wishes to stress that it has always maintained excellent institutional relations with Arsenal FC.'

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I can see the hand of Gazidis in this. I read somewhere that he was getting involved in this by telling Barca to pipe down. Its good that the club is at least trying to do something about these rumours. Whether we should get worried or not depends purely on Cesc and how much faith and trust we have in him. Do we trust him to go about this (inevitable) transfer in a proper manner? I do, so when that day comes (perhaps in another 2 seasons, perhaps less), he will handle it well. Lets focus on the Pool game, for starters.

Arsenal wouldn't sell for less than 50-60 million & Barca wouldn't pay that for a benchwarmer. He's brilliant for us but he wouldn't get in their first team as Hleb found out. He will go back but not until either Xavi or Iniesta retire/leave.

Incredibly, this is all because one Spanish radio station heard a 'transfer rumour'... However much Cesc is frustrated I can't see him leaving yet. I used to be scared he would be going around now but I'm now getting more and more confident that he'll stay till his late 20's or further. He's a genuine chap and every time we doubt him, he'll go and score then run over to our fans and everything about him says "I'm 100% staying here and I'm going nowhere till we have achieved something special" I'm offering anyone that thinks he'll leave this summer a tenner bet (subject to terms conditions; first 10 people only; no spuds)!

I just cant see where hed fit into their side. Cesc is world class but in Barcas system they play 2 roaming midfielders and a holding player, and Xavi and Iniesta currently hold those positions to amazing effect. I think we would actually sell for less - £40million would be hard to reject. But i cant see him leaving till either Xavi retires (years) or Guardiola leaves which wont be for at least 2 seasons.

"I'm told the woman that was recently appointed as the club's lawyer is one scary beatch" -- 'bout time, just what the club needed! :-D Have to echo AG's and BP's comments. Every time this subject comes up I always wonder just how satisfied Cesc could be at Barca right now - not being the main man, not being the principal dictator of play, often coming on as sub only, starting only some games (mainly cup games). AW has built this team around Cesc's creative vision, he won't have that at Barca -- nor Real Madrid, for that matter. He'll have Cronaldo and Kaka competing with him. I'm amazed at that statement on Barca's official website, that's something you never see them do (officially negating rumours that are part of a presidential election race to garner votes).

Make no mistake that Cesc will not be intimidated by the thought of Xavi and Iniesta standing in his way. The is a guy who aged 16 took on the likes of Keane and a year latter was destroying his former captain in a massive european game, who destroyed Zidane and co in the Bernabeau and was the best player on the pitch when we beat Milan in the San Siro. He is a hybrid of both Xavi and Iniesta who will be better than both at his peak. Whatever happens he has given us fantastic service, I really hope he stays for a year or 2 more but would never begrudge him leaving for the camp nou.

Are Xavi and Iniesta really better than Cesc? I know they are both fantasitc players, but Fabregas is on another level to almost every other footballer on the planet. It may be my Arsenal bias but I wouldn't have any other player in the world playing in his position right now.

Are they better than Cesc? They're not inferior to him. They're more experienced in winning trophies. Xavi was instrumental in getting Spain the Euro championship (Iniesta was injured at the time), Cesc only played a smaller role in that tournament, starting only 1 game. The team that won the Euros and has a perfect wc qualification record is Xavi's team. Just listen to the way Cesc talks in awe of both of them, but esp. Xavi (who's the oldest). I watch Barca regularly and I think Xavi and Iniesta are absolutely brilliant, genius playmakers, they're extraordinary to watch, just as much as Cesc. I do not agree at all with the general dismissal of Barca's talent among so many gooners and their belief that Barca's playmakers are inferior to Cesc. They simply aren't. And iceman, Xavi and Iniesta are considered like gods at Barca and among Barca fans. They love Cesc but there's no way he'd dislodge their first place spots at this moment in time--unless they got injured (the only time Cesc has started on the national team has been when Iniesta or Xavi were injured or suspended, or when the game was not important to qualification). At any rate, he'd need an adjustment period. He simply would not just walk in as an automatic starter.

What worries me most at the moment is us only offering Gallas a 1 year contract(if reports are to be believed). Hillwood said that Wenger has not asked him to change his policy on over 30s and that 1 year contracts suited Bergkamp fine. What a load of cra* it will be if we lose him because we didnt offer him a 2 year contract. Surely it is logical to offer him that contract and if he plays poorly then we can always sell him for a nominal fee. We cant lose out, f***ing joke.

I agree Jaelle. Xavi turned 30 last month though and will probably maintain his awesome playing level for only another 2 years or so. Its only then that Cesc may think its time. Two years should give us time to make Ramsey & Wilshere compete for Cesc's role.

I agree Jaelle. Xavi turned 30 last month though and will probably maintain his awesome playing level for only another 2 years or so. Its only then that Cesc may think its time. Two years should give us time to make Ramsey & Wilshere compete for Cesc's role.

paul it is indeed worrying pieces of news that are emerging from Gallas's contract negotiations. We will have to reinvent the wheel all over again if he leaves. That said hopefully AW will have a very definite transfer target if he lets WG go.

Yes, but does Gallas want to stay? Has he decided this is it for him? I just wonder if a man with his desire and attitude wants to continue with us at his age. Remember those desperate comments from him about needing to win a trophy? Just went over to read Pyles' latest anti-AW screed. (I know, why am I such a masochist?) He really believes AW doesn't rate Wilshere at all and will just let him stagnate because he's not French. He's a francophobic git.

I dont know that answer or not Jaelle, but if i was a footballer i am sure i would want to feel valued. And considering he has been imense for the last 18 months(in my oppinion) i think he has earned a two year contract. We lost Pires because of that rubbish rule and he would of provided alot ha dhe stayed on in terms of performances and/or experience. Like i said, at worst he has a bad year we sell him for a nominal fee and he is off the payroll. No one loses out.

jaelle Cesc wouldnt walk in as a starter but once given an opportunity ive no doubt he could hold down a place in that Barca team and I bet Cesc thinks the same. Xavi and Iniesta are great players I just think that Cesc will be better than both.

Wenger earlier said he would consider relaxing the 1 year contract only rule for players over 32 for Gallas. I will not believe what I'm reading. I dont think its a big co-incidence that stories like this (Cesc & Gallas) are being reported when we are going through a bad spell. The media knows that these kind of stories are more believable when the team is down, and there is a feeling of doom and frustration amongst supporters.

One of my best mates is catalan, in his opinions Xavi is one of the greatest playmakers ever, and iniesta isn't far behind. He doesn't think Cesc is good enough yet, although he does reckon he will be. That's from a born and raised catalan.

barca are ****s big time assholes, but i'm not worried one bit. i've learned to love the club more than worshipping any player. i'm sure he will stay here for a few more seasons and when he does leave, i'm not even sure he will land up at barca. but if cesc stays, that is great, if he goes, then good luck and thank yu for him. i'll still be supporting Arsenal no matter who plays..

"when Xavi was 22, he wasnt even half as good as what Cesc is at the same age" - really? on what do you base that opinion? did you watch him regularly back then? a few games here and there? did you watch him develop as closely as you've watched cesc develop? Gunnerman, yes, that's basically the considered opinion in Spain, that Cesc is a Xavi in the making.

im a regular follower of la liga, and barca used to be my second team back then. infact if i can remember correctly, back in 2002 or 03, Xavi didnt even play all their games and he and puyol came very close to be sold. he was very good back then, but not as good as what Cesc is right now at the same age. i dun even think he is as mobile as cesc is on the pitch. cesc has added awesome dribbling abilities to his game this season. xavi didnt have it back then when he was 22..

as much as i want to believe cesc isnt leaving, and this isn't a shot at arsene, but listening to what he has been saying in the past few years regarding our position in the table, and if you correlate that to transfers, then him saying he isn't concerned should in fact be a huge cause for concern!

Fabregas wouldn't be on the bench at Barca, Cesc has demonstrated in the past few years that he is one of the best players in the world. I can't believe that some people think that Cesc can't get into the spanish team, its a load of bs, in qualifying for SA 2010 he was one of their most influential players and in Euro 2008 he was also influential.
I really feel if Cesc continues his level of progression he can match the levels reached by Zidane, but as any world class player he wants to win trophies and if Arsenal dont bring some silverware in the next couple of season I wouldn't be surprised to see Cesc return to Spain.

I think Cesc is about as good as Xavi at the moment. But the key is chemistry - Xavi and Iniesta work so well together, and with the rest of the team, that Barca surely wouldn't want to interfere with that by trying to squeeze Cesc in there somewhere.

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